Fire truck and ladder.



No. 707,704. Patented Aug. 20,y |902.

-H. w. LLOv0. FIRE TRUCK AND LADDER.

(Apphcatxon led May 19, 1902.)

(No Modal.) 8 Sheets-Sheet l.

atlzmmap No. 707,704. 4 Patented Aug. 26, |902.

H. W. LLOYD.

FIRE 'muck 'Aun LADDER.

(Application Bled May 19, 1902.) (Nu Model.) 8 Shania-Shut 2.

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Patented Aug. 216, 19024.

H; w. LLOYD.. VFmla Tauck AND LADDER.

(Application md may 19, 41902.)

(No Model.)

A8 Sheets-Sheet 3.

attazmlp no. 707,704; Patented Aug. 20,1002.'

Hnw. |.|.0Y0.

F|BE TRUCK AND LADDER.

(Application filed May 19, 1902.)'

8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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l H. w. LLD'YD. FIDE Tauck AND LADDER.

(Application led May 19, 1902.)

Patenfed Aug. 20, |902.

@Hof/wmp Patented ug. 26, |902. HA.A W. LLUYD.

.Fmi TnucK AND'LADDER.

(Application mad my 19, 1962.)

{No.Murdel.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.,

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Patented Aug. 26, |902.

H. w. L LoYn. FIRE TRUCK AND LADDER.

(Application led Hay 19, 1902.)

8 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

Patented Anug.L 26, |902.

(Application Bled May 19, 1902.)

8 Sheets-Sheet 8.

(No Budel.)

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Nits 1 STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY lV. LLOYD, OF SOUTI-Il/VEST CITY, MISSOURI.

FIRETRUCK AND LADDER.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,704, dated August26, 1902. Application filed May 19,1902. Serial No. 108|000. (No model.)

To all wwm, it mrty/ concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY W. LLOYD, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Southwest City, in the county of McDonald and State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FireTrucks and Ladders; and I do declare the'following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in ladders and conveyors, andparticularly to a ladder and conveyer designed for'use in con nectionwith re-trucks and adapted also for a variety of other purposes.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved device forreachiugthe upper stories and roofs. of high buildings in case of fire to effectthe saving of life and property, said device embodying an endlessconveyor Which when the invention is in use on afire-truck may beemployed for carrying firemen and others up and Vdown a ladder and whichmay also be used for transferring goods of all kinds to and frombuildings of high elevation.

A further object of the invention is to provide controlling' mechanismwhereby the ladder may be raised, lowered, and adjusted with facilityand with a minimum expenditure of power.

With these and other objects in View, whichl will readily appeal' as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists incertain novel features of construction and combination and arrangementof parts,as will be hereinafter more fully described, defined in theappended claims, and illlustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in whichmFigure l-is a side elevation of a fire-truck embodying myinven! ion,showing the normal position of the parts. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. Il is a rear elevation. Fig.5 is a side elevation showing the derrick elevated and the ladderadjusted to a horizontal position preliminary to extending it. Fig. 6 isa side elevation showing the ladder elevated and extended. Fig. 7 is alongitudinal section of the apparatus. Fig. S is a cross-sectionthereof. Figs. il and 10 are longitudinal secframe.

hooks, so as to be out of the way.

tions through the two winding-shafts and their drums. Fig. 1l is aperspective View of the ladder and endless conveyor. Fig. l2 is alongitudinal section through two telescoping sections of the ladder.Fig. 13 is a detail view showing one of the devices for releasing thefree arms of the derrick preliminary to lowering the same. Fig. 14 is aView showing the Winding mechanism employed for contracting theextensible ladder. Fig. l5 is a detail perspective View of one of thecrossbars or rounds of the ladder, the couplings carried thereby, andthe attached ladder-section. l

Referring now more particularly to the y drawings,the numeral lrepresents a Wheeled base or main frame, and 2 an auxiliary frame`mounted thereon, the said auxiliary frame having a turn-tableconnection with the main frame,whereby it may be rotated on said mainframe, the turn-table connection shown in the present instanceconsisting of rollers 3, suitablyjournaled upon the auxiliary frame andbearing upon the platform 4 of the main The auxiliary frame swings upona suitable pivot or king-bolt 5, connecting the same with the platform4. Arranged upon opposite sides vof the platform are footboards 6, whichare united thereto by hinges or pivots 7 and are provided on their undersides with folding brackets 8, which when the footboards are let down toa horizontal position are adapted to bear against the sides of theauxiliary frame and act as braces to support .said footboards andrelieve the hinges or pivots of strain. The side footboards are ofgreater length than the auxiliary frame,and their extended portions areadapted to sup port transverse front and rear ootboards 9, which areadapted to be held in an upturned or folded position by hooks l0 uponthe frame. Similar hooks 11 are provided to support the `side footboardsinV an elevated position.

When the apparatus is not in use, the footboards may be turned up andheld bythe The primary purpose of the footboards is to afford standingroom for the iiremen and others when the apparatus is going to andreturning from a fire or is being transferred from place to place foruse.

Arranged upon opposite sides of the auxiliary lframe at the front andrear of the dc- IOO vice are standards or supports 12, suitably pivotedat their inner ends thereto, as indicated at 13, and provided at theirouter -or free ends with jack-screws 14 for regulating the length ofsaid supports, as desired. When the apparatus is adj usted for use,these standards or supports are turned doWn so as to bring thejack-screws to bear upon the surface of the street or ground, and saidscrews are then adjusted to compensate for inclinations orirregularities of ground-sur-- face, so as to provide at each corner ofthe auxiliary frame a rigid brace or support which will effectively holdthe same in adjusted position and obviate all liability of tilting ot'the apparatus under the Weight of the elevated derrick, ladder, or anyother parts of the apparatus when adjusted for use. Whenthe standards orsupports are not in use, theyare turned up out of the Way and are heldelevated by pivoted hooks or catches .15 upon the frame-engaging pins orkeepers 1b' on said supports. Mounted on the top of the frame is anadjustable derrick 17, comprising two sets of arms 18 and 19, connectedat their meeting ends by a cross rod or shaft 20, the opposite ends ofthe arms 18 being pivoted at 2l to the frame, so as to swing in avertical plane. The free ends of the arms 19 of the derrick are adaptedin raising and lowering the derrick to slide in guideways 22 upon thetop of the frame, and to ride over suitable curved stops 23, xed to theframe. These stops 23 cooperate with other stops 24 to form a recess orsocket for the reception ofthe said free ends of the arms 19 to supportthe derrick when yelevated for use against movement. When the derrick isbeing elevated, the arms 19 slide forwardly through the guideways 22 andover the curved faces of the stops 23 and then drop down into saidsockets or recesses, said stops 23 holding the derrick from movement ina rearward direction and the stops 24 holding the derrick from movementin a forward direction. When it is desired to fold the derrick orrestore it to its normal position it is necessary to elevate the arms 19out ot' the sockets, and to accomplish this elevatingplates 25 areprovided, said plates being carried by levers 26, pivoted to theauxiliary frame, each lever having a handle 27 pivoted thereto andarranged so as to be conveniently operated by a fireman or other personstanding on thel platforms or footboards 6. The mechanism for operatingthe derrick and other parts of the apparatus is hereinafter described.

Mounted to Swingin the open frame 2 upon suitable trunnions or journals23 is an extensible ladder 29` This ladder comprises a base 30 and aseries of telescoping sections 3l, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, eachcomprising a pair of tubular parallel side rails 37, a cross-bar 38, andreducing-couplings 39, connecting said cross-bar to the tubular. siderails and forming guides of smaller diameterthan the tubular side railsof eachsection for the smaller side rails of the connectingladder-section telescoping therein. The tubular side rails of the baseladder-section 31 are rigidly connected to` the base 30, which may be,as shown, in the form of a box or chest for containing and distributingair, steam, or other motive iuid under pressure, said box or chest alsoserving to counterbalance the Weight of the extended ladder, enablingthelatter to be easily manipulated. On this base are mountedhand-operated air-pumps 40, having suitable connections 40 for supplyingcompressed air to the interior of said chest.. These pumps are used whenit is desired to employ a fluidpropelling medium for extending theladdersections; but in place of the air-pumps steam or gas supplyingmediums adapted t-o subserve a similar purpose may be employed. Eachextensible ladder-section is provided at its inner end with astop-liange 402, which is adapted to abut against a similar flange 403on the outer end of the next adjacent section closer to the base 30 (ordirectly against the coupling 39, if desired) to limit the outwardmovement of the first-named section. The couplings 39 may be providedwith suitable packing and the construction of the joint made such inpractice,fwhen air, steam, or other suitable elastic propelling mediumis employed, as to form fluid-tight joints between the sections toprevent the escape of said impelling fluid, the outer ends of thetubular rails of the outermost laddersections being closed to formabutments against which the impelling medium. acts to force theladder-sections outward to extend the ladder. Suitablecontrolling-mechanism for regulating the supply of air or otherimpelling medium will be employed in practice, but

is not herein shown, as the specific construction or arrangement of suchparts forms no part'of the presentinvention. In addition I also employ aWinding-drum and suitable connections, as hereinafter described, forextending the ladder, the same being either as an adjunct to the pumpsfor extending the ladder-sections or as a safety mechanism forperforming this work in the event of accident to the pumps or thefluid-supplying connections.

The cross-bars 38, connecting the couplings 39, serve as supports forthe ladder-sections proper, which ladder-sections (denoted 41) areprovided at their outerends with hooks 42 to engage apertures 43 in saidbars and are thus detachably connected with the bars. The inner ends ofthe rails of the ladder-sections carried by the telescopic parts of theladder are formed notched to form beveled shoulders 44 and projectionsto engage the outer edges of the cross-bars of the successively-largersections to prevent the ladder-sections from swinging When the ladder isextended, which operation is assisted by spring-plates 45, fixed to thecross-bars and'bearing against the upper rounds of the ladders. Thesesprings serve to hold the beveled shoulders of the ladders in engagementand prevent the lower IIO or free ends thereof from swinging out ofengagement with the adjoining cross-bar. In addition the said spriu gsalso serve to allow the ladder-sections to slide downward upon oneanother upon the contraction or shortening of the ladder by thetelescoping of the tubular sections thereof without becomingdisconnected from the cross-bars, so that as the tubular sectionscollapse the ladder-section upon one of the outermost telescopingsections will slide down over and upon the ladder-sections of the nextadjoining innermost tubular telescopic section, as shown in Fig. 7, thusadapting said sections to have free movement upon one another to eectthe quick and easy collapsiugortelescopingof theladder. Vhen theladder-sections are extended, the beveled shoulders 44 press on thecross-bars 3S and allow the ladder-sections to fold inwardly inlongitudinal alinement and substantially in parallel relation to theside rails of said sections, the frictional engagement of the shoul.

ders, together with the pressure of the springs 45, being sufficient tomaintain the laddersections in such position when the telescopingsections are held extended by the fluid pressure. The pressure of thesprings and frictional engagement of the beveled shoulders 44 may evenbe sufficient to hold the tubular sections extended upon the removal ofthe fluid-pressure by the exhaust of the confined air; but when thepressure of the luidmedium is removed and the retracting mechanism isoperated to retract or close up the ladder-sections the pull upon saidsections will overcome the resistance of the springs and frictional bindof the shoulders 44, and said shoulders will be caused to act as cams,which ride outward on the bars 3S against the pressure of the springs45, thus swinging outward or projecting the free ends of theladder-sections 4l to allow the same to slide downward upon one anotheras the telescoping sections collapse.

An endless conveyer 4G is mounted upon the ladder and comprises sidechains carrying buckets or platforms 47, forming supports on which thefiremen or other persons may be carried up and down the ladder and whichmay also be used for conveying goods to and from the roofs or upperstories of high buildings. The purpose of this conveyer is to facilitatethe escape of persons from burning buildings. Vhen the apparatus is usedfor hauling and storage purposes, the conveyer may be employed fortransporting goods of all kinds to and from a building. The side chainsof the conveyer run over sprocket-wheels 4S upon a shaft 49, journaledin the outer telescoping sections of the ladder and upon sprocket-wheels50, carried by a winding-shaft 51, journaled in bearings 52 upon thebase 30, which shaft is provided with a crank-handle 53, whereby it maybe operated to impart motion to said sprocketwheels and to the endlessconveyer in an obvious manner. To maintain the lower portion of theconveyer in proper position and to insure the easy movement thereof, aroller 54 is revolubly mounted upon the rear portion of the ladder-base30 and serves as an antifriction-bearing for the rear stretch of thechains of the conveyer to prevent the same from binding against orcatching in any of the projections or parts of the apparatus. The laddernormally hangs vertically, and the weight of its base and connections issuch Was to nearly counterbalance it, the lower or shorter end thereof,carrying saidbase, being somewhat heavier than the telescoping sections,so as to effect the easy restoration of the ladder to its normalposition, while adapting the ladder to be adjusted by the expenditure ofa minimum amount of power. In order to compensate for the length oftheconveyer due to the lengthening and shortening of the ladder andmaintaining the desiredtautness of said conveyer, mechanism is providedfor taking up the slack therein whenever required, the same comprising areel or winding-drum 55, mounted. at each end of the frame, to whichdrum is connected one end of a cable 56, carrying at its opposite end abar 57, having loops or guides 58 for the reception and passagetherethrough of the side chains of the elevator. The winding-drum isprovided with a crank and suitable ratchet mechanism, and by its meansthe cable may be taken up or let out to tighten or loosen the conveyer,according to the length of the ladder. Vhen the ladder is to beextended, the cables are unwound, and when, on the contrary, the ladderis to be collapsed the cables are wound up, so as to maintain thedesired tension on the elevator.

As before described, the telescoping sections of the ladder are extendedor forced outwardly to lengthen the ladder by means of an elasticpropellingmedium supplied by the air-pumps 40 or equivalent mechanism.To collapse or force inward the ladder-sections to shorten the ladder,suitable winding mechanism must be provided, and to this end I employ awinding-drum 59, located upon the base BOand having connected therewithtwo cables 60 and 6l, which pass over or are rove through pulleys G2,carried by the reducing? couplings 39, the free ends of said cablesbeing connected either to the base or to the rigid lower sections oftheladder. The winding-drum has at one end an operating-crank 63 and alocking and unlocking lever 64,

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adapted to be held in locking `position by a suitable form of pivotedkeeper 65 upon the said base 30. Vhen this lever is locked by thekeeper, the winding-shaft may be revolved only in the direction` towind' up the cables and is held against retrograde rotation; but uponthe release of the lever the drum may be turned in the oppositedirection to unwind the cables and permit of the laddersections beingextended. By this construction it will be seen that when theladder-sections are to be extended the winding-drum is turned in onedirection to pay out the cables and that, on the contrary, when theladdersections are to be telescoped. the drum is actuated to wind up thecables, whereupon the ladder-sections will be drawn inwardly and will becaused to close one after the other in an obvious manner. The cables 60and 61 also strengthen the tubing and prevent the latter from swayingunduly when extended.

Mounted in suitable bearings upon the front portion of the frameis awinding drum or reel 66, comprisingashaft 67, having fixed thereto agear-wheel 68, with which meshes a pinion 69, carried by a shaft 70,having a crank-handle 71 for operating the same and communicating motionto said drum or reel. Pawls 72 and 73 cooperate with the gearwheel 68 tohold the same against rotation in one direction or the other, one pawlbeing adapted to prevent rotation in one direction and the other in areverse direction and each l being pivotally mounted, so as to be throwny front portion of the frame, as shown.

into and out of operation at will. On the shaft 67 are a series ofclutch-drums 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78, each of which is loosely mountedupon said shaft and is adapted to be ixed thereto by the clutchmechanism, of which any suitable form may be employed. To the drums 74and 78 are connected cables 79, which pass upward over pulleys on theforward portion of the frame and are connected at their free ends to thearms 19 of the derrick 17, and these two drums and cables are adapted tobe employed for drawing the der- -rck to a forward position andr elevateit from its normal position. (Shownin Fig. 1.) To the clutch-drums 75and 77 are connected two other cables 81, which pass over pulleys 82upon the rod or shaft 2O of the derrick 17 and are connected at theirfree ends to the ladder. These drums and cables are employed forelevating the ladder from a horizontal to a Ver-l tical position. Theintermediate drum 76 has attached thereto a cable 83, which is providedat its free end with a hook 84 to engage a loop or eye on the base 30 ofthe ladder, and the purpose of this drum and cable is to preliminarilyraise the ladder from its normal vertical to a horizontal position,inwhich it is held while the telescopio g sections are being extended.These cables pass upwardly through suitable guides 84 on the The cable83 passes over a suitable pulley 85.

Upon the rear portion of the frame is mounted a winding drum or reel 86,comprising a shaft 87, carrying a gear-wheel 88, which meshes with apinion 89 on a shaft 90, having attached thereto a crank91 for operatingit. Pawls 92 and 93 are pi'voted to the frame and coperate with thegear-wheel to hold it against rotation in either direction. On thisshaft 87 are mounted four clutch-drums 94,

95, 96, and 97, and to the clutch-drums 94 and 96 are connected cables98, which pass upward and forward over pulleys 99 upon the rear portionof the frame and are attached to the free ends of the arms 19 of thederrick-frame 17. The drum is an extra drum,designed for emergency use.The drum 96 has connected thereto a cable 100, which passes through apulley-block 101 and is provided at its free end with a hook 102 toengage a bail or loop 103, connected to the rear portion of the base 30of the ladder. This cable and the cable 83, connected with thewinding-drum 76, are employed when the ladder is held in a verticalposition, either contracted or extended, to steady said ladder and toprevent it from swinging while the apparatus is being conveyed fromplace to place or is in use. The ladderis provided at its outer end withhooks 104 to engage the wall or window-sill of a building in the usualmanner.

The operation is as follows: The normal position of the parts is shownin Fig. 1, from which it will be seen that the ladder normally stands ina vertical position, while the derrick folds downwardly and rearwardly,with its arms 18 resting on the top of the frame 2 and its arms 19hanging down in rear thereof. When it yis desired to elevatetheladderbyextendngitstelescopic sections, the derrick is first raisedto the position shown in Fig. 5 by paying out the cables attached to thedrums 94 and 97 and winding up the cables attached to the drums 74 and78, at which time all the drums with the exception of the said drums 74and 78 are disconnected to turn loosely on the two windingshafts. Afterthe derrick has been elevated in the manner described the drum 76 isfixed to its winding-shaft and said shaft operated to wind up the cableattached to said drum to move the ladder to a' substantially horizontalposition, at which time the drums 7.5 and 77 are fixed to theirwinding-shaft and the drums heretofore in use disengaged fromtheirshafts. Said drums 75 and 77 are turned to draw up the cablesattached thereto and move the ladder to a substantially verticalposition, as shown in Fig.\6, in which position the ladder is ready foruse and may be swung to the front and rear to adjust it as desiredthrough the medium of the cables connected with the drums 76 and 96. In

thus adjusting the ladder it will of course be understood that thewinding-drum upon the base 30 is turned to let out the cables which areemployed for contracting or telescoping the ladder-sections. After theparts have been adjusted in this manner the ladder is held stationary bywinding up the drums 76 and 96 to the desired extent to make the cablesattached thereto taut, and then the frame 2 is swung around to aposition at right angles to the frame 1 to bring the rear portion of theladder in position to face the building or structure to the upper doorsof which it is desired to gain access. The ladder will then be inposition for use, and the elevator may be employed for carrying firemenand others to and from the top of a build- IOO IIO

ing in the manner heretofore described. It will of course be understoodthat as soon as the ladder is adjusted the supports l2 are turneddownward and the jack-screws la adjusted to suit the character of thestreet or ground surface, so as to rigidly hold the frame 2 againstmovement.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, mode ofoperation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understoodwithout requiring an extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, and I thereforereserve to myself the right to make such changes as clearly fall withinthe scope thereof.

I claiml. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination ofa supportingframe, a derrick thereon, adapted to be raised and lowered,a telescopic ladder pivotally mounted in the frame, means for raisingand lowering the derrick, means operating in connection with the derrickfor elevating the ladder from a horizontal to a vertical position, meansfor adjusting the ladder to the horizontal position, and means forprojecting and retracting the telescopic sections of the ladder,substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asupportingframe provided with sockets; of a derrickframe adapted to beraised and lowered and having movable arms adapted to be seated when thederrick is raised in said sockets, an extensible ladder, means operatingwith the derrick-frame for elevating and adjusting the ladder to aposition for use, means for elevating and lowering the derrick-frame,and elevating devices for lifting the arms ot the derrick out of saidsockets preliminary to the operation of the means for lowering saidderrick, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asupportingframe; of winding-shafts upon the front and rear of saidframe,each of said shafts carrying clutch-drums, a derrick adapted to beraised and lowered, an extensibleladder mounted to rg e,

swing vertically in the frame and adapted to be adjusted to a horizontalposition to project its sections and to a vertical position for use,cables connected to certain of the Winding-drums upon saidwinding-shafts to raise and lower the derrick, other cables connected toother drums upon one ofthe winding-shafts and cooperating with thederrick to elevate the ladder to a vertical position for use, and cablesalso connected with the winding-drums on the two shafts for adjustingthe ladder to a horizontal position and steadying it in a Verticalposition, substantially in the manner described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described,a ladder composed oftubular telescoping sections, each section comprising tubular siderails, couplings connected to said rails and forming reducing-tubes forthe rails of the connectingsection to slide through, cross-barsconnecting said couplings, ladders having a detachable pivotalconnection with the cross-bars and adapted to slide one down upon theother when the sections are retracted and notched to providecam-shoulders to engage the cross-bars, and springs fixed at one end tothe cross-bars and bearing at their free ends on rounds of the laddersfor retaining the ladders yieldingly in position with the cam-shouldersengaging the cross-bars, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asupportingframe having guideways upon the upper rear portion thereof andstops at the forward ends of said guideways of a derrick-f rame adaptedto be raised and lowered and having movable arms slidable in saidguideways and adapted to engage said stops, a ladder mounted to swingwithin the frame, means cooperating, in part, with the derrick-frame foradjusting the ladder, means for raising and lowering thederrick-frame,pivoted plates for elevating the free arms of thederrick-frame out of engagement with said stops, andl means foroperating the said plates, substantially as specied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HARVEY W. LLOYD. Witnesses:

C. J. (JROCKER, R. P. THOMAS.

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